A United Nations report that projects the imact of global recession could quite effectively spoil your lunch…
“An effort on the scale of the Apollo mission that sent men to the Moon is needed if humanity is to have a fighting chance of surviving the ravages of climate change. The stakes are high, as, without sustainable growth, "billions of people will be condemned to poverty and much of civilisation will collapse". The report praises the web, which it singles out as 'the most powerful force for globalisation, democratisation, economic growth, and education in history'
This is the stark warning from the biggest single report to look at the future of the planet - obtained by The Independent on Sunday ahead of its official publication next month. Backed by a diverse range of leading organisations such as Unesco, the World Bank, the US army and the Rockefeller Foundation, the 2009 State of the Future report runs to 6,700 pages and draws on contributions from 2,700 experts around the globe. Its findings are described by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN, as providing "invaluable insights into the future for the United Nations, its member states, and civil society".The impact of the global recession is a key theme, with researchers warning that global clean energy, food availability, poverty and the growth of democracy around the world are at "risk of getting worse due to the recession". The report adds: "Too many greedy and deceitful decisions led to a world recession and demonstrated the international interdependence of economics and ethics." Click here for the whole thing.
The secret word is Miasma
“An effort on the scale of the Apollo mission that sent men to the Moon is needed if humanity is to have a fighting chance of surviving the ravages of climate change. The stakes are high, as, without sustainable growth, "billions of people will be condemned to poverty and much of civilisation will collapse". The report praises the web, which it singles out as 'the most powerful force for globalisation, democratisation, economic growth, and education in history'
This is the stark warning from the biggest single report to look at the future of the planet - obtained by The Independent on Sunday ahead of its official publication next month. Backed by a diverse range of leading organisations such as Unesco, the World Bank, the US army and the Rockefeller Foundation, the 2009 State of the Future report runs to 6,700 pages and draws on contributions from 2,700 experts around the globe. Its findings are described by Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the UN, as providing "invaluable insights into the future for the United Nations, its member states, and civil society".The impact of the global recession is a key theme, with researchers warning that global clean energy, food availability, poverty and the growth of democracy around the world are at "risk of getting worse due to the recession". The report adds: "Too many greedy and deceitful decisions led to a world recession and demonstrated the international interdependence of economics and ethics." Click here for the whole thing.
The secret word is Miasma
(The illustration is not a vision of Hell, just third world food production.)
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18 comments:
So I should drop out of college and start a farm? Is that the word from the wise?
Why don't you drop out of college and start a revolution?
Drop out of college? Ha! Don't think so small. Think big. Stop buying Monsanto foods and CDs from rock bands on major labels and any goods made in China. There's your real challenge. (and it can be done...)
Don't forget, this revolution will be small. So very small.
This is the revolution that starts with the individual. You and me. Coming together in our local communities. Banding together to create sustainable stasis of food and clothing and shelter and entertainment and enlightenment that keeps all our ducats local and gives none to the old gods.
And that's why the corporate powers fear us. Not the other way 'round. They're nothing. We are everything. Why else would these powers work so tirelessly to impose dictatorial rules, create instability, and spread propaganda? But we don't believe 'em any more.
These misers hate to spend money but they're running through it by the trillion trying to hold on to the old world status quo as long as they can. And why? Because they know their time is short. It's autumn, and the harvest is almost in.
The time for asking is done. The time for taking is here.
But it's peaceful as well. Our revolution and our power come from dropping out of this circus queue. We don't need to buy what they're selling. The ringmasters collecting their admissions will ultimately find an hollow tent. No one to watch their empty magicks. And outside, a million anonymous carnivals of our own blaze on.
I once ran into some extreme German greens who suggested something not unlike the above scenario. They did finally admit though that their plan would require a large reduction in the size of the human population.
just forget them and don't buy their stupid products. just one year is enough for these mastodonts to collapse. and smile doing so.
The only extreme is he who would continue our unsustainable corporate path while suckling at the teet of the olde lyes that would have us believe only a global solution can keep baby safe and warm.
Ah, don't we long for the days of high adventure and men? Not defeated wards of the multinationals and their courtisan lackeys.
And population reduction plans? We have 'em now. From Asia to Africa, corporate powers are already thinning the herd through overuse, pollution, and resource reallocation. Mostly third world populations for now.
But we're next.
I'm all for downsizing as described by various Doc 40ites here. In fact it's something I've done for years, partly intentionally, partly out of necessity. But as Derrick Jensen says below, lifestyle choices will not overthrow the robber barons.
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/07/08
Munz, nice info on California's potential pot economy. Very cool read.
But you're not following. This thread isn't about downsizing or reducing personal consumption.
Rather, we're talking about the power of the consumer. About moving how and where we consume. And about creating local sustainable communities to the critical detriment of corporate powers.
Big difference.
Per Derrick Jensen's article, he states that the individual can't personally solve the majority of the world's problems because 75% of these are caused by Corporations.
Which is true.
And which is why the Revolution is to actively starve out said Corporations.
Many of us are already moving all our funds and support over to local production and distribution that we either own or directly patronize. Keep your loop local.
That's how, as Derek says, "we'll take down those systems." If we all fund ourselves and stop supporting corporations, they cannot exist in a cash-less vacuum.
Then we'll find that either big business's machines will sputter and stop (to quote Road Warrior) or be forced to bend to the will of us. The Majority.
But if you also want to take shorter showers or go dumpster diving, have at it, man. ;)
And while others sit back trying to come up with reasons why the revolution can't be done, hard workers will continue busily building their own sustainable local economies of food, clothing, housing, entertainment, and enlightenment - and completely starving out the corporate powers.
Simply a "lifestyle choice?" Maybe for you.
Matt - Thanks for clarification. I understand -- and support -- these tactics. I live in Los Angeles where there is very little sense of community or local outlets of production that I know of, so it's an uphill battle. But I'm going to keep this in mind. Again, thanks. What one does with phone service and things like that, I don't know, but I imagine we do the best we can.
Oh man, I know from LA. I lived there once myself. Hey, and sorry if I sounded like a twat. I'm (obviously) sensitive to calling all this work merely a lifestyle choice.
And speaking of phone, cable, etc, there are providers who are more local. Or we can simply go without. I use local internet and suck it on the phone. But I chose to go without cable and everything else.
Ultimately, I think you're right on with your last point. We simply do as much as we can. And don't feel guilty. Because if enough of us can swith over to buy organic food at farmers' markets and stop buying goods from overseas and keep as much of our money local as we can? It'll catch on. And the Corporations will either fall or be forced to make changes.
Thanks and take 'er easy.
The still sounds a lot like good old US isolationism turned green, and assumes a degree of local abundance which may be entirely unreal. In the end, the only way to fight global corporations is with global communication, organized global labor, and global revolution.
And what happens to the cute little farmers' market economy when a earthquake levels the town, or the river floods, or there's and epidemic that requires antibiotics?
Fight globalism by being a global workforce? Um...yeah. Because that's not what the Globalist Corporations want at all... :)
And you ask what happens when catastrophes like hurricanes or floods impact a strong, self-reliant local economy? It uses its sustainable infrastructure to survive.
But what happens when you have the same catastrophes hit a corporate globalist society of frightened children like Lefty who want daddy government to keep baby safe? That's right. We already saw it. You have the insanity of Katrina/New Orleans.
Thanks for proving my point, guys.
The only point that's being proved is that you're proposing some middle-class, self-serving, happy valley, pipe dream of abundance. It's all very well tossing around empty phrases like a "strong, self-reliant local economy" but what the fuck does that really mean? A local but comprehensive pharmacutical industry? Local access to heavy equipment in time of crisis? That there are no local crooks and liars who could recruit a local nazi goon squad? The modern world survives through cooperation and cooperation means coordination, and coordination means some form of government. The fight is to make the government subject to the will of the people. Your all-local philosophy would have you back in the 12th century after one bad winter.
The WV is (believe it or not) crock
Well, I must agree with your statement that the Revolution is to make the government subject to the will of the people. And since our public servants are beholden to the Corporate powers, that's our battleground. And the only way we as the majority can hit 'em where it hurts? That's right. In the pocketbook. Money.
Hence DIY and keep it local. They'll either starve or change. Or we may find out we don't need 'em. And if you're not sure how to get started, you can do a little research. You dont have to wait for others to do that work for you. Hmm...
But the rest of it? Just repeated excuses you've heard others say for why it can't be done. So take a load off and set a spell with the rest of the sidelines while the few, the adventurous get it done. Or get busy making it happen with your own solutions. No one's stopping you. :)
I'm not sure that these two viewpoints are mutually exclusive. There's a very old concept called anarcho-syndicalism wherein people organize locally but also create bonds with people in other areas.
And a voice of wisdom steps in. Very good point, Munz...
Also, to all a thanks for the discussion thus far.
You got it, Munz. Right on the target. Anarcho-syndicalism is required rebel reading. The Spanish Civil War, all on it's own teachers lesson a'plenty.
The WV is untomo
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